The meeting was
called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairperson Bruce Peck.

Minutes

Motion by Lengerman, seconded by Gerstacker to receive the
minutes of the meeting of January 14, 2003.Motion carried.

Call to Audience

Chairperson Peck issued a call to the audience, there was no
response.

Request for Conceptual Approval and Support to City Council of Trail
Project

In November of 2000 officials from the Chippewa Nature
Center approached the Commission with the concept of a trail from the Tridge to
the Nature Center.The Commission
endorsed a study of the project and requested that the Nature Center report
back before any actual implementation.Dick Touvel and Steve Kim of the Chippewa Nature Center made a
presentation to the Commission on the plan and asked the Commission to
recommend the project to the City Council and also that the project be included
in the upcoming Master Plan. Lengerman questioned ownership of the property and
Kim indicated that most is owned by the City or Nature Center and some land or
easement would need to be obtained.Peck
asked about cost and Kim estimated in excess of $1 million and indicated funds
would be raised from foundations, local fundraising, and State and Federal.

Motion by Lincoln, seconded by Wilson that the Commission
recommend to the City Council that the project to construct a path from the
Tridge to the Chippewa Nature Center be endorsed at no capital cost to the
City, that the City commit to owning and

maintaining the portion of the trail within the City and
that the project be included in the upcoming Parks Master Plan.Motion carried 8 – 0.

Presentation of Recreation Fee Proposals

McGuire presented fee recommendations consistent with the
philosophy discussed by the Commission and the City Council at their joint
meeting of January 27, 2003.The only
changes being recommended are the 18-hole weekend rate at Currie West being
changed from $28.00 to $27.00, the ice rental fees being increased by $3.00 in
each of three categories and a Fall League player fee of $5.00 being instituted
in the softball program.

The fees will be considered at a public hearing on February
18, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall.

Request from Engineering Department to Utilize Pine River Park for Wetland
Mitigation

The City is currently involved in the planning process for
future road projects.It is anticipated
that some of these projects will impact existing wetlands.In order to prepare for this, the City is
interested in creating a wetlands bank.This is done by enhancing existing wetlands or by creating new wetlands
and creating credits.The credits are
then used when existing wetlands are negatively impacted.

The Engineering Department is proposing to develop a bank on
a 320 acre parcel in Porter Township known as Pine River Park.The site already has extensive wetlands and
with minor berming these could be enhanced and others created which would
result in substantial credits.The state
would require a conservation easement which protects the wetlands in perpetuity
but does not affect park uses such as walking, hiking, nature study, etc.

The staff believes this to be productive use of this
property which is not otherwise being used and cannot be sold due to a reverter
clause in the deed.

Motion by Lengerman, seconded by Zimmer-Janeczko to
recommend to City Council that a wetlands bank be established on the 320 acre
parcel of Pine River Park.Motion
carried 8 – 0.

Proposed by Midland Area Community Foundation

McGuire presented a letter from the Midland Area Community
Foundation in which they proposed to fund a design for enhancements to the boat
dock and accompanying landscape at the Tridge area.

Motion by Gerstacker, seconded by Wilson to recommend to
City Council that the offer of the Midland Area Community Foundation to fund a
landscape design study for the boat dock area near the Tridge be accepted.Motion carried 8 – 0.

Old Business

None

New Business

Lengerman presented the attached article on an inclusive
playground and asked that discussion of this type of playground be included in
the Master Plan.